The Union Budget 2024, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has sparked a mix of optimism and criticism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the budget's potential to empower every section of society, particularly through job creation and support for the MSME sector. In contrast, opposition leaders criticized the budget as lackluster and focused on political survival, dubbing it an "underwhelming, sarkar bachao" (save the government) budget.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that the Union Budget 2024, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is designed to empower every section of society.
In his address, PM Modi emphasized that the budget's initiatives for job creation will open numerous opportunities for young people. He stated, "Together, we will transform India into a global manufacturing hub. The MSME sector, which is vital to the middle class, plays a significant role in this. It provides the highest employment to the underprivileged."
Opposition's Critique of the Budget
While the ruling party hailed the budget as a "dream budget," opposition leaders were less enthusiastic. Congress criticized it as "underwhelming" and "copied from Congress’s Nyay Patra."
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee labeled it a 'kursi bachao' (save the chair) budget. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav called it a "bundle of despair," while SP MP Dimple Yadav pointed out that the budget failed to address women's safety issues and the declining purchasing power in rural areas.
Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram sarcastically noted that he was pleased Sitharaman had referenced Congress's manifesto. "I am glad to see the Hon'ble FM has read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024 after the elections. She has adopted the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) from page 30 and introduced an Apprenticeship scheme with allowances from page 11," he tweeted, suggesting other beneficial ideas from the manifesto should have been included.
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